Park Ridge residents who vote early in the Nov. 3 midterm election will cast ballots at the Centennial Activity Center, 100 S. Western Ave., not at City Hall as in past cycles.

City Clerk Michael Lupo announced the change at the Aug. 17 City Council meeting, saying "the past few elections saw so much demand they started to run out of room," and that the Centennial Center will offer more space. The Park Ridge Park District facility replaces City Hall as the city's designated early voting site.

Lupo, whose duties include overseeing elections in Park Ridge, did not release a press statement beyond his council remarks. The Journal & Topics first reported the relocation.

What voters need to know

Early voting across suburban Cook County begins Oct. 19, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Specific hours for the Centennial Activity Center have not yet been posted by the Cook County Clerk's office.

The last day to submit a vote-by-mail application is Oct. 29. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon said Aug. 25 that her office is deploying 56 "smart ballot" drop boxes at early voting locations throughout suburban Cook County. The boxes feature surveillance cameras, tamper-resistant construction and ballot tracking. Because the county is placing drop boxes at all 56 suburban early voting sites, Park Ridge's new location is expected to have one as well.

Gordon, speaking at a tour of the county's ballot processing center, said her office is treating the midterm as "business as usual" while fighting misinformation and expanding access to drop boxes for mail-in voters.

The location

The Centennial Activity Center sits at the corner of Western Avenue and Main Street in downtown Park Ridge. It is operated by the Park Ridge Park District. The building is larger than the City Hall lobby area that previously served as the early voting site, though neither the city nor the clerk's office has released specific capacity figures.

Residents can check the Cook County Clerk's website for the full early voting schedule once it is published.

The next Park Ridge City Council meeting is Sept. 8.